We did it. We really did it. It’s been three years since we endeavored to create our first blog, and at the end of the most successful (and unbelievable) year we have had yet, we are proud to present our Top Drops of 2011.

However, we had no idea the difficulty that selecting the best albums, mixtapes, EPs, and beat tapes of the last twelve months would be this challenging. Quite obviously this has been an amazing year for artists of all sorts, but one in which musicians have broken the mold. A deal is no longer required (at least not one with a major label), and in many cases it has been more than proven that the road less travelled is likely the better avenue. We also witnessed history as Mac Miller secured the top spot, only the second independent artist to do so since Tha Dogg Pound in 1995. Film footage framed our vision, with artists venturing into web series, live footage, backstage passes, and in-studio performances more than ever before. This and more contributed largely to the erasure of the often misdirected 'hip-hop is dead' sentiments that lingered throughout the first half 2010 and provided the fuel that propelled 2011 to be one of the more memorable musical years in recent memory.

It's interesting that Mac has taken notice of the lack of appeal of Blue Slide Park (we thought it was just us). Although we can respect the personal nature of the lyricism, the music seemed forced. From an artistic standpoint, he doesn't have to justify it to anyone, and perhaps that is where the beauty within the project lies. Regardless, he has had one unbelievable year that included three mixtapes and one full-length that may not have been his best, but damn sure made history.

'Subterranean.' 'Submerged underwater.' 'Lo-fi.' All of these words have been used at some point during the last 12 months to describe the sound of Oakland’s 21st century street rappers, Main Attrakionz. But what happens when the enigmatic duo gets a chance to step beyond bedroom studios, and brings their lo-fi aesthetic into high definition? The answer is '808s & Dark Grapes II.' While the first installment in the 808s series (2009) was more accurately described as a playlist of Main Attrkaionz best work at the time, 808s II finds Squadda B and MondreM.A.N. growing as earnest storytellers of their daily struggle.

'808s & Dark Grapes II' is a focused effort that employs production work from some of the most talented and unheralded underground producers from the Bay Area and beyond. Marlee B, NoaBoa, AHYVE, FriendZone and Keyboard Kid all contribute to the sonic blueprint of the release, and of course Squadda laced the project with a few instrumentals of his own. Plus, we have to mention Clams Casino's ODB-sampling opium trip ‘Take 1', featuring Harlem’s A$AP Rocky.

Full of inventive beats, ethereal vocal samples and the sort of original, left-field take on hip hop that has captured a small, but dedicated fanbase, '808s & Dark Grapes II' is presented to you here as a free download. We at Мишка can only hope that our involvement with this project enables the work of Main Attrakionz to reach an entirely new audience looking for rap music like they’ve never heard it before. These guys are the future of Hip Hop plain and simple. Get this, bump this; we know you’re gonna enjoy it.

Today, I thought it would be really cool to give you a Christmas gift from my Asian tour. Since I wanted to take you guys to Asia with me, here’s a live recording from Fukuoka Japan — 'DJ Jazzy Jeff: Made In Japan'. Be sure to download it today. Happy Holidays and Thank You for the Support!

Z&G&E (Zion I, The Grouch and Eligh) and Evidence birthed a dope song and video this past month while on the road together! The guys just finished the extremely successful (mostly sold out) 19 city 'How The Grouch Stole Christmas Tour'.

'The response has been overwhelming and we just wanted to give the people a little gift for the holidays' says The Grouch about the free download.

Amp Live of Zion I made the beat and the song was complete when Evidence recorded his verse backstage at the Fox Theatre in Boulder Colorado. We shot the video at the venue right before our show in Sacramento. DJ Icewater did the cuts.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Kwanza or whatever it is you choose to celebrate!

While participating in a panel discussion centered around the RE:Generation Project, Skrillex shares his excitement over his recent Grammy nods, his fervor for the innovation of Hyundai's musical initiative, and his approach to collaboration.

Spacebunny Jefferson and King Coz drop thirteen trippy tracks to lull one into submission. Reminiscent of Melky Sedeck and Morcheeba, with hints of Faith Evans and Outkast, the Houston trio is crafting a conscious and creative groove that is radiating. If the album isn't enough, be sure to view the video for the lead single, Feel Trip, below:

Last weekend we felt as if we were sitting Fireside while witnessing our first liveJ. Boogie set at Om Records Holiday Party, held at Monarch in San Francisco. There would have been no better way to usher in another year of life. Word to AKadi and EDUB.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

May you live in interesting times. Who can say we don't? As we post this from an iPhone 4S it becomes glaringly apparent the influence that innovators such as Steve Jobs have had on our current affairs. BBC2 has drafted some of the doubters, defiants, and designers to reflect on his brash brilliance.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

In case you weren’t aware, Carolina soulman Anthony Hamilton is currently on tour in the effort to drum up some buzz for the December 13th release of his new 'Back To Love' LP.

A couple of these tracks are sparse, simple ballads. A few are more of a mid-tempo toe-tap groove and one slow burner speaks of past hurt, pain and the forgiveness that sometimes comes when one asks a bruised heart to give you another chance.

But all the tracks here have one thing in common, they are undoubtedly driven by Anthony’s passionate and mellow tenor.

Seven years ago, who would have ever thought that our little backyard boogie would one day be hosted on the other side of the world? It’s sometimes hard to live in the moment and truly appreciate how blessed we are to be doing what we love, but a week long excursion in The Philippines this past July was just what the doctor ordered. Part of the overall beauty of Do-Over is being able to experience the local culture of each market and fully enjoy the sights, the sounds, the food & the people. Well, no trip to The PI is complete without a fellow Beat Junkie on your side (and an evening of midget boxing) so it was an honor to bring along our friend, Rhettmatic for his first ever DJ gig in The Motherland alongside Bugz In The Attic’s Daz-I-Kue. Before The Do-Over ManiLA, we escaped the hustle and bustle of the city and ventured through the country side and made our way to the South China Sea. It was here, in the secluded Punta Fuego seaside community where the magic first started. From sun up to sun down, Rhett, Daz & local beatmaker Red-I, drew inspiration from one another and shared their influences to collaborate together as well as create their own tracks over the course of the entire trip. The result was an abundance of tropical heat.

As for the actual party, that was a story of it’s own. Let’s just say Filipino Time is no joke and we ended the party at 5am after countless tea pots of sangria, bottles of Red Horse (in search of the lucky bottle) and bbq pork on a stick. All in all, The Do-Over ManilLA was an experience like no other. From the capacity turnout to the overall respect and hospitality of the people, we were truly honored and blessed to have brought our little backyard boogie to the fine people of The Philippines. As a token of our appreciation, we would like to share the music that was created on this journey.

19-year old NY-bred and Hollywood-based cinematographer Yael Schulman teamed with 11 BMXers and 3 skateboarders to film the pros performing gravity defying jumps and tricks at Air In The Square in Times Square.

Charged-Up Entertainment's Noah-O lets loose of his second visual from his first major release, I Got It. If you're anywhere near Richmond on the last Thursday of the month, do not miss Noah and crew LIVE at The Camel.

Montreality catches up with k-Os and picks his brain to find out what it's like to work with Drake, what kinds of jobs he held prior to becoming an emcee, and what artists currently inhabit his playlist.

You may remember Tawiah from the Aaliyah Revisited project from a few years ago. The London soulstress is gearing up to release her debut album, but before then she suprisingly gifts a free 5-track EP to fans.

We had the opportunity to hear Sean's live rendition of Light Bulb Moon during the Hip Hop & Love Tour. Now, to help build steam for his upcoming full-length, he has put together a brief snapshot of his live performances as a sneak peek of what's ahead.

If The Interlude II is anywhere near the quality of its predecessor, then The Kid Daytona can prepare himself for an extremely busy year. Set for a 12/19 drop, The Interlude II arrives at just the right time to give The Kid just the jump he needs heading into the new year.